pagination

A system of numerals or other characters, or a
combination thereof, assigned to the pages of a
book or manuscript to indicate their order.
Numbering of the leaves of both manuscripts and
printed books began in about 1470, and by 1480 the
practice had become general. Page numbering,
however, was comparatively rare until 1500, and
did not become general until 1590. See also: FOLIATION (3) .